Cleansing material and process of producing same



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DEMETRIUS M. STEWAR-D, OF OHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

CLEANSING MATERIAL AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,601, dated August 13, 1895.

Application filed April 6, 1895. Serial No. 544,809. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEMETRIUS M. STEW- ARD, of Chattanooga, county of Hamilton,

State of Tennessee, have invented a certain new and useful Cleaning Material and Process of Producing the Same, of which the following is a complete specification.

My cleaning material consists of hardened steatite, talc, or soapstone in a finely comminuted state, preferably combined with soap or saponaceous material in any suitable proportions. The proportions may be widely varied to adapt the compound for different purposes.

Steatite, talc, or soapstone in its natural condition is soft, slippery, and is not possessed of abrasive qualities; but by treating the natural substance in powdered form with heat it can be rendered almost as hard as diamond dust. Any suitable method of applying the heat may be selected, and the degree of temperature and duration of treatment should be regulated by the degree of hardness to which the powder is desired to attain.

The temperature necessary to produce the chemical change in steatite that is proposed by my invention is approximately 2,000 Fahrenheit. No degree of heat less than perhaps 1,500 will affect the natural steatite. The best results are obtainable at about 2,000", as above stated, and 1,500 may be stated as the minimum limit, although practically the range of temperature is not so much below 2,000".

Care and good judgment should be exercised in the selection of the material to be treated, inasmuch as some qualities of stone may be applied by rubbing a damp cloth or sponge upon the cake and then upon the article to be cleaned. The surface to be cleaned having been thoroughly rubbed with the compound it is polished ofi with a clean cloth or chamois. I

My cleaning material is adapted for cleaning and polishing gold, silver, copper, brass, nickel, aluminum, tin, and polished iron or steel, without injury to the finest metals. It is equally serviceable for cleaning polished plate-glass windows, cut glassware, painted, varnished, or polished wood surfaces, or the like; removes grease or dirt from carpets, oilcloth, or floors, &c.

What I claim is- 1. As an improved cleaning and polishing material, powdered steatite, talc, or soap stone, hardened by being treated with heat at a minimum temperature of 1,500 Fahrenheit, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described cleaning compound, consisting of steatite, talc, or soap stone, hardened by being treated with heat, in a finely comminuted state, at a minimum temperature of 1,500 Fahrenheit, and combined with saponaceous material in suitable proportions, substantially as set forth.

3. The process of. producing a cleaning and polishing material, which consists in treating steatite, talc, or soap stone with heat at a minimum temperature of 1,500 Fahrenheit, substantially as set forth.

4:. The process of producing a cleaning and polishing material, which consists in reducing steatite, talc, or soap stone to a finely comminuted state, and treating the powder with heat at a minimum temperature of 1,500 Fahrenheit, substantially as specified.

5. The process of producing a cleaning and polishing compound, which consists in reducing steatite, talc, or soapstone to a finely comminuted state, treating the powder with heat at a minimum temperature of 1,500 Fahrenheit, and combining the hardened powder with saponaceous material in suitable proportions, substantially as specified.

In testimony of all which I havehereuuto subscribed my name.

DEMETRIUS M. STEWARD.

Witnesses:

O. S. STEWARD, MAE SELLERS. 

